On Sunday we had lunch at Bar Alfalfa, a tiny nook of a tapas bar near Seville’s Plaza de la Alfalfa.
This neighbourhood is only 10 minutes by foot from our apartment, but it was the first time we’d wandered through.
Inside the small triangular space there are only a few high wooden tables, some ledges along the windows, and a u-shaped bar across the back. For latecomers there is standing room only.
The first thing we noticed was the selection of golden Jamón Ibérico legs strung up behind the bar. Inserted into the bottom of some legs were small plastic cups to catch any juices that drip as the hams age.
We’d yet to try this famous jamón in its purest state (rather than chopped up in soups, for example) so we immediately ordered a €3 tapas portion. I watched as our very friendly bartender carefully shaved thin slices straight from the leg and laid them out on our plate.
When you order tapas you get bread served free, but this ham seemed too good to dilute on a piece of bread. So we ate the slices straight — they melted like butter in our mouths. We’ve had some decent jamón back in Toronto but at many times the price.
We also enjoyed a few beers, a couple more bowls of the now familiar salmorejo soup, and some of the most delicious bruschetta we’ve ever stumbled across. I’m normally indifferent about tomatoes but here in Andalusia they are delicious and I can’t get enough of them.
